Coutinho followed up that early flourish by playing in Ivan Rakitic for Barcelona's second within the first half hour of play.

2 - Philippe Coutinho was involved in as many goals in his opening 28 minutes against Spurs for Barcelona (1 goal, 1 assist) as he was in his 715 minutes for Liverpool against them (2 goals). Spurred. #TOTBARpic.twitter.com/77DqheUXPq

With a goal and an assist already at Wembley, his record against Spurs in the Barca shirt is already far superior to his time at Liverpool, during which he struggled to impose himself against the Londoners.

Lionel Messi, who played in a fine ball to Alba to get the move going, is now Barcelona's sole survivor from the 2005-6 Champions League campaign where Van Bommel hit that record-breaking goal, which was eventually won by Frank Rijkaard's Blaugrana charges.

With Coutinho making the difference in Europe having been cup-tied for last season's knockout stages, will lightning strike again this year for the Catalans in Europe?